Worm-drive for motor-vehicles.



W. S. MORTON.

WORM DRIVE FOB MOTOR VEHIGIES.

APPLICATION FILED 00'1.8, 1912.

I Patented Oct. 21, 1913.

3 BHBETE-BKEET 1.

w. s. MGRTON. WORM DRIVE F63 MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 8, 1912.

Patented Oct. 21, 1913.

- 3 SHEETB-SHEET 2.

i II... II

III// I I v W. S. MORTON. WORM DRIVE-P03 MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION TILED 0018. 1912.

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- worm-Dawn ron'. MOTOR-VEHICLES- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER S. MORTON, a citizen of the UnitedStates,'residing at Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State oflei'lnsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in\Vorm-D'rives for Motor-Vehicles; and I do declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe'same This invention relates to motor vehicles, and more especiallyto the driving mechanism therefor; and the object of the same is toproduce improved meansfor driving both axles by worms on. the drivingshaft, which latter is made in sect-ion connected by peculiar forms ofuniversal joints so that the necessary movements of the axles beneaththe framework is permitted; This and other objects are carried out byconstructing'my invention in the manner hereina te'r more fullydescribed and claimed, and as shown in the drawings wherein Figure 1 isa central longitudinal sectional view through a motor vehicle possessingthis improved worm drive. Fig. 2 is an enlarged crosssection through thesteering axle thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged lon 'tudinal sectionthrough the center of the riving mechanism for said steering axle, andthrough its differential. Fig. 4 is a still further enlarged horizontalsection then 11 the universal joint of said driving niec anism, and Fig.5,is an end view thereof taken from the right of Fig. 4. Figs. 6 and 7are perspective views of the so called plug, taken from differentangles,and Fig. 8 is a perspective detail of the so called block.

In the drawings is shown a motor vehicle or truck comprising the frontor steering wheels S, the'rear wheels R, all mounted on axles A inclosedwithin housings H and employing any well known form of difleren-" tialsD, and F is the f alnework on which is supported an engine F whose shaftis connectedthrough suitable transmission mechanism T with themain ordriving sha t M. In the present illustration the I truck is steered bymeans connecting the steering wheel W at the re r of the fr m'e F withthe frontaxle -W ich carries the front wheels S, and saidconnections areshown as including chains C. Th'pur'p'os of the present invention is .toem loy a worm drive mechanism connecting t e maih shaft M Specificationof Ilietters Patent.

Abpliatibn med timb r 8, 1912. Serial No. 724,610.

with both axles, and designed soas to perm1t the rocking motion of thefront axle as one of its wheels S passes over an obstructlon, as well asthe oscillation thereof as this, axle is turned around the king bolt bythe steering mechanism.

I Comm now more particularly to the details of t e present invention,the numeral 1 designates bearings in the front and rear sides of thehousing for the transmission'T, through which bearin s roject theextremities of the main sha t 1 whichas usual withma'chi'nes of thischaracteris connected with the engine shaft thr'ou h mechanism forimparting a proper spee' to the main shaft and through a clutch forstarti and stopping the rotation thereof at wil. In the present case itis my purpose to connect both extremities of the main shaft M to theaxles, and, in so far as the connections in front and in rear of thetransmissions are duplicates of each other, a description of one willsuffice for both. I

The numeral 2 designates the cupped or Pat nted 0a. 21, 1913.

female member of a universal joint attached tremity of theshaft section4 carries a ball 5 through which extends a transverse pin cr'bolt 6, andon each end of said pin is mounted a block 7 which is preferably squarein cross section as shown in Fig. 8 butwhose inner endis dished to fitaround the ball and whose outer end 8 is'rounded as shown, so that ineffect the block is concavo-convex. In the illustration herewith thesame universal joint 23 is employed at the rear end ofthe main shaft M.and the rear-shaft sec- .-t.ion 4' leads through a hole 12in a casing'10 to and is conn'ec ed directly with a worm which engages a geararound the differential mechanism D of the rear axle; but as this worinis supported in substantially the same manner as that over the frontaxle vet to be described, and needs no universal joint within it sincethe rear axle is not pivoted on a kin bolt, further descri 'tion of therear oorfion of the machine Wi 1 not be necessary. Thenlim'eral 1Odesignates a tubular casin loosely inclosing the front end of the mintshaft section 4 alidhaving its rear end removably closed by a dust guard11 pierced With a lateral slot 12 through which said shaft sectionmoves, the casing 10 being suitably mounted upon the housing H for thefront axle and open at its bottom so thatthe worm and worm gear may meshas described below. The upper side of the casing 10 carries a lug orknuckle 13 which is mounted on a horizontal pivot-pin 14 between thearms of a fork 15 at the lower end of a king bolt 16, which latterstands upright and is suitably mounted within a bearing 17 supported atthe center of an arched yoke 18 connecting the side bars of the frame Fas best seen in Fig. 2. The fork-arms constitute knuckles between whichstands the lug or knuckle 13, and the pivot pin 14 con necting thempermits the rocking of the axle A as one of its wheels passes over anobstruction; whereas the function of the king bolt is, as usual, topermit the oscillation of the front axle as it is turned by the steeringmechanism hereinbefore referred, to. With either movement, or with thecombined movements of the axle andits housing H, the casing 10 and itscontained mechanism participate, and therefore the connection betweenthe front end of the shaft section 4 and the gear surrounding thedifferential D must be such as to permit these movements of the casing10.

The worm gear 20 surrounding the differential I) may be of any suitablecharacter, but the worm 21 meshing therewith is formed of threadssurrounding a tubular shell 22 whose bore flares slightly toward theinner end and is provided internally with two longitudinal key ways 23;and within this shell is closely fitted a plug 24 externally providedwith key ways 25 adapted to register with those numbered 23 so that keys26 may be driven therein, the in ner end of the plug flaring slightly tofit the bore of the shell and being forked or bifurcated on a line atright angles to the key ways so as to produce an upright slot 27 inwhich the blocks 7 work freely but where in they are confined betweenthe fork arms 28.

The entire worm is carried by the rear end ofa shaft 30 which ispreferably formed integral with the axis of the plug 24, said shaft-ormore properly spindle projecting thence forward along the center of theframework F, through a thrust bearing 31, then through one or moreordinary roller or ball bearings 32, then through another thrust bearin33 and finally receiving a nut 34 on its orward extremity. These variousbearings are mounted within a tubular extension 35 which may be attachedto or form an integral part of the casing 10 that incloses the worm andis mounted on the axle housing H, and when the latter turns or rocks itis obvious that the casing will move with it and also the tubularextension nvents 35 as there is ample room for it to play between theside bars of the frame F. Thus is produced a long bearing for thespindle 30 upon which of course a great deal of strain is thrown as theshaft section 4 is turned by power to drive the vehicle in eitherdirection. Longitudinal movement of said spindle in either direction isresisted by the thrust bearings, forward movement of the worm isresisted by the rearmost thrust bearing 31, and rearward movement of theworm is resisted by the fact that its interior tapers toward the frontand fits closely around the exterior of the fork arms 28 and plug 24which also taper in the same direction, whereas the keys 26 hold theseparts against relative rotation.

With respect to the rear axle, the drawings herewith show the samespindle andits bearings, and the same worm engaging a worm gear; but ifthe rear axle is not mounted on a king bolt there is no necessity for auniversal joint on the inside of the worm and the latter may thereforebe mounted on the rear extremity of the rear shaft section 4 in anysuitable manner so as to cause it to rotate therewith. In such event thebrace 40 connecting the rear housing H with I some part of the frameworkneed not be pivoted as is the front brace 41 at the points 42 and 43.

\Vhen the vehicle passes over an obstruction which for instance willordinarily lift first one front wheel and then the rear wheel directlybehind it, the front axle will cant or tilt on its pivot 14, and in suchmovement it will carry with it the entire casing 10 and its extension 35'and all parts within the same, the two universal joints between thetransmission mechanism and worm over the front axle permitting thecanting of the latter as described. As the front wheel passes over theobstruction the axle resumes its horizontal position, and meanwhile theframe F of the machine has not. been putunder strain. When now the rearwheel strikes the same obstruction, the rise of one end of the rear axlewill cause the frame to rise with it, but as the front axle by this timeis traveling on level ground the same pivot 14 permits the canting ofthe entire framework. When the front axle is turned aside on its kingbolt by the steering mechamechanism to cause the rear axle to turn in anopposite direction to the front axle when the device is to be steered; Ido not, therefore, Wish to be confined to the use of my invention inconnection with one axle onl and the details of construction, as well ast e proportions and materials of parts are not essential to the presentinvention.

What is claimed as new. is:

1. In a worm drive for motor vehicles, the combination with the vehicleframe, the axle and its housing, a casing mounted on the latter, a kingbolt in the frame, a pivot between the king bolt and casing, and a wormgear carried by the axle; of a hollow worm journaled within said housingand engaging said worm gear,the bore of the worm having longitudinalslots, a shaft section connected with the motor, and a ball on theextremity of said section standing beneath said king bolt and havingblocks engaging said slots, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a worm drive for motor vehicles, the combination with the vehicleframe, the axle and its housing, a casing mounted on the latter, a kingbolt in the frame, a pivot between the king bolt and casing, and a gearcarried by the axle; of a tubular extension projecting from said casing,a spindle journaled therein and forked at its lnner end, a

, hollow worm disposed within said casing and secured around the forkedend of the spindle so that the fork-arms produce an internal slot, ahorizontally slotted dust guard at the inner end of said casing, a shaftsection connected with the motor and projecting through the slot in saiddust guard, and blocks carried by its front end and engaging said slotswithin the worm at a point above the axle, for the purpose set 1 forth.

. 3. In a worm drive for motor vehicles, the combination with thevehicle frame, the axle and its housing, a casing mounted on the latter,a king bolt in the frame, a ivot between the king bolt and casing, an aworm gear carried by the axle; of a bearing carried y said casing, aspindle journaled' in such bearing and having a forked plug at its innerend, a. hollow worm engaging said worm gear and keyed around the arms of4. In a Worm drive for motor vehicles, the

tween the king bolt and casing, and a worm gear carried by the axle; ofa bearing carried by said casing, a spindle journaled therein andcarrying at its inner end a plug externally flaring inward andtransversely slotted to produce fork arms, said arms having key ways atright angles to the slot between them, a tubular worm standing withinsaid casing and engaging the Worm gear, its interior being flaring tofit uon said plug and its fork-arms and having (ey ways adapted toregister with those therein, keys in the ways, a shaft section connectedat its inner end with the motor, a ball at the outer end thereofstanding within said worm and normally over said axle, a pin extendingtransversely through the ball, and blocks on the 4 extremities ofsaidpin sliding in the slot between the fork-arms, for the purpose setforth. f

.5. In a worm gear mechanism, the combination with the driven element, aworm gear thereon, a housing for said element and gear having anopeningthrough which the latter projects, a casing secured upon the housing,

and flexible connections between said casing and the framework of themachine; of a bearing carried by said casing, a spindle journaledtherein and carrying at its. inner end a plug externally flaring inwardand transversely slot-ted to produce fork arms, said arms having keyways at right angles to the slot between them, a tubular worm standingwithin said casing andv engaging the worm gear, its interior beinlgflaring to fit upon said plug and its for -arms and having key waysadapted to register with those therein, keys in the ways, a shaftsection vconnected at its inner end with the motor, a ball at the outerend thereof standingwithin said worm andinormally over sald axle, a .pinextending transversely through the ball, and blocks on the extremitiesof said pin sliding in the slot between the fork-arms, for the purposeset forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set G. E. WaN'rz, M. E. TROSTLE.

